WinXp Pro - Removed from domain, can't access

cregser

I've just removed a WinXP Pro PC from a domain and put it in a workgroup.

It asked me for the username/password of an account with permision to do this (which I thought was local admin accounts?) It restarted, and then now username/password can't access the PC.

I've used a Boot CD to look at the Documents and Settings folders. Only said username was there, along with All Users, a MS Office account folder and a McAfee. No Administrator folders. I've tried logging in as administrator with all the administrator passwords I normally use. No luck.

I'm reluctant to install WinXP from strach. Any ideas for me to access windows?

liamo

Tried Administrator with no password?

SickBoy

Logon with the username/password you used to take it off the domain.

liamo

SickBoy wrote:

Logon with the username/password you used to take it off the domain.

That account doesn't exist on the PC, it exists on the domain - of which this PC is no longer a member. Oops.

SickBoy

The OP said he used a local account to remove it from the domain, not a domain account.

cregser

Well I used the domain account... I suppose it had local admin privilges and now it's gone. I guess it's screwed.

I used a WinNT password reset program that's supposed to work with WinXP but no luck. It found a few accounts but said they were locked or disabled. The program successfully reset the locks and changed the password (it said) but had no effect when I tried to log in.

McAfee's account is not locked/disabled but I have yet to try it. Too tired, long day.

EDIT: It found an Administrator account but said it was locked or disabled. I set it to blank password, not expired, not locked etc. But nothing. Maybe because there's no administrator folders in Documents and Settings, the account doesn't really exist?

Surely WinXP prevents you from removing all your users (real users and not mcafee/ms office users)??

p2kone

did the domain use roaming profiles, folder redirection?, miss read it,

how about get the computer added to the domain again, create a local user account and add it to the local admins/power users group, then get it taken of the domain again.

maidhc

I did the exact same thing before, and try as I may I found the easiest thing was just to reinstall windows.

The people who joined me on the domain in a certain well known university changed my admin password "for security reasons" to something totally random, but didn't make note of it!

cregser

The domain used roaming profiles.

I've been screwing around with this password reset program for a while now but nothing seems to work. It's showing a failed log in counter so I must be getting the username right.

The Administrator account I found on the machine is the default Admin account that an XP install puts in. But I can't get at it.

Screw it, reinstall windows...

cregser

Just found someone with my exact problem on Experts Exchange (explained better than I did). If they can't find an answer, no one can!

http://www.experts-exchange.com/Operating_Systems/WinXP/Q_20801831.html